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The UFC Prelims will roll on ESPN as we're set to bring you another prediction and pick for the first fight card of 2024. This next bout takes place in the Bantamweight (135) Division as we'll see relative newcomers in Marcus McGhee and Gaston Bolanos square off in the octagon. Check out our UFC odds series for our McGhee-Bolanos prediction and pick.
Marcus McGhee (8-1) comes into his third UFC fight having won his first two bouts. He notched a submission win on his short-notice debut against Journey Newson and followed his performance up with a first-round knockout over JP Buys in his last fight. He's quickly putting himself on the map and will look to stay perfect against another hungry opponent.
Gaston Bolanos (7-3) will be making his second walk to the UFC octagon after winning his debut fight by unanimous decision over Aaron Phillips. He was slated to fight Marcus McGhee at an earlier date in mid-2023, but suffered an injury and had to withdraw of the bout. Now, he's fully healthy and ready to finish what he started against McGhee.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 84 Odds: Marcus McGhee-Gaston Bolanos Odds
Marcus McGhee: -230
Gaston Bolanos: +190
Over 2.5 rounds: +150
Under 2.5 rounds: -195
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Why Marcus McGhee Will Win
Through two fights in the UFC, Marcus McGhee has already shown a veteran poise and ability to get the job done in clutch moments. At 33 years of age, he's a bit late to the UFC in terms of his biological clock, but he's proven that he's got a polished game and doesn't seem too jittery on the biggest of stages. He made his UFC debut on very short notice and was able to look like the favorite against a UFC warrior like Journey Newson. In his follow-up performance, he looked even more refined and showed off his boxing and power with a knockout right hook. Marcus McGhee is the prime example of age not becoming a factor, so long as your skills continue to develop along the way.
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Marcus McGhee has shown that he's a very solid striker and does his best work in fighting defensively and avoiding big, damaging shots. He has a great wrestling base and he's tactical in reversing positions and transitioning through the flow of the grappling. Ironically, his takedown defense hasn't been stellar and it's clear he relies on his wrestling skills when accepting the takedown from his opponent. That sort of strategy could have consequences with more-skilled grapplers and McGhee should certainly look to push the pace offensively in this one. If he can limit the distance and not allow Bolanos to work his kicks in striking rage, he should be able to negate any action and win this fight by decision.
Why Gaston Bolanos Will Win
Gaston Bolanos made his debut against a very tough and game fighter in Aaron Phillips and looked like a veteran while doing so. He rifled over four significant strikes per minute and did a fantastic job of bobbing and weaving in the pocket. His biggest success came from his stiff leg kicks to the shin and it was clear early on that it would be a tactic for him moving forward. Gaston Bolanos fights with a boxing background and he has very heavy hands for someone at 135. He's constantly mixing in shots to the body and if he's able to keep this fight at range, he could start to pick apart McGhee's defense. Look for him to once again find a home in the low leg kick as he looks to compromise McGhee and ultimately stifle his wrestling offense.
Gaston Bolanos will come in as the underdog due to his inexperience, but he's shown great poise in what we've seen so far. He's a very hard worker and is constantly evolving his game, so we can expect to see the best version of Bolanos on Saturday night. Takedown defense will be crucial for him in this one as McGhee will undoubtedly shoot for a leg if he finds himself in a shaky spot. Bolanos will have to conserve his gas tank and be the fresher fighter as this fight could be slated for all three rounds. We've seen him cruise to a decision once before and he could be a sleeper to upset and do it once again here.
Final Marcus McGhee-Gaston Bolanos Prediction & Pick
This should be a close fight stylistically and both of these fighters go at it with high motors. Gaston Bolanos will have the slight advantage in the striking and he could see immediate success if he's able to compromise McGhee with the low leg kicks. Marcus McGhee will look to get his hands on Bolanos if he finds himself in trouble and if he's able to find the takedown, he could ride this one out on the ground in top control.
For our prediction, we'll roll with Marcus McGhee to get the win. He's a smart-enough fighter to begin checking the leg kicks if they start coming his way. He's bee able to manage finishes in unlikely spots and he's an absolute dog when it comes to fighting in the scrambles. Still, this fight could be razor-thin through all three rounds.
Final Marcus McGhee-Gaston Bolanos Prediction & Pick: Marcus McGhee (-230); OVER 2.5 Rounds (+150)
